Tag: Inauguration

The new president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, signed a decree Wednesday pardoning about 700 political prisoners and fulfilling a promise he made in his inaugural address in January. The conciliatory gesture frees political opponents imprisoned by Tshisekedi's predecessor, Joseph Kabila, who had governed the central African nation for 18 years. Tshisekedi was elected president of the DR Congo in a disputed election last December which some foreign observers, including the Catholic Church, said favored opposition leader Martin Fayulu. Tshisekedi's inauguration marked the first peaceful transfer of power in that country since 1960. In a ceremony in Kinshasa late last week, Tshisekedi also promised to allow political exiles to return home. "I will actively work to create the conditions for the early return of compatriots who are currently outside the country for political reasons to carry out their activities in accordance with the law and republican institutions," said Tshisekedi as quoted by Africanews. Among the pardoned are Firmin Yangambi, who has already served 19 years of a 20-year sentence on the charge that he was a threat to national security, and opposition leader Franck Diongo who was sentenced to five years in prison, according to the Associated Press.

The Trump Inaugural Committee has been subpoenaed for documents as a part of an investigation by federal prosecutors in New York. Stephanie Ruhle and Ali Velshi to break down why this investigation is different from the Mueller probe and if…

Federal prosecutors have issued a subpoena for documents from President Donald Trump's inaugural committee, a representative of the committee said Monday night. The panel discusses. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc MSNBC delivers breaking news and in-depth analysis of the headlines,…

Prosecutors also requested all documents related to vendors and contractors with the inaugural committee, which raised a record $107 million and spent lavishly. People familiar with the subpoena said prosecutors are interested in potential money laundering as well as election fraud, though it is possible that the prosecutors do not suspect the inaugural committee of such violations. The subpoena also seeks documents related to his company. Prosecutors have pursued the possibility that the inaugural committee made false statements to the Federal Election Commission, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Barrack’s close aide working on the committee was Rick Gates, the former deputy to Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman who has been convicted of and pleaded guilty to several crimes in connection with the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Mr. Gates has pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to the F.B.I., and has been cooperating with Mr. Mueller’s team for nearly a year. Mr. Barrack and other inaugural committee officials are not named in it. As part of their own inquiry, the prosecutors in Manhattan are questioning whether foreign nationals illegally donated to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee. On another, Mr. Cohen spoke to Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who was a top official on the inaugural committee. Ms. Winston Wolkoff’s company made a $1.6 million commission from that $26 million, which officials have previously said went to pay 14 people.

Rebecca Ballhaus, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, talks with Ali Velshi about breaking reports that the lawyers for Donald Trump's inaugural committee have received a subpoena from federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York. » Subscribe to…

TALLAHASSEE — Tuesday night, the sound of the thunderous military jet flyover from the swearing-in ceremony was swapped for the plucking of a stand-up bass and the breathiness of a saxophone, as the state's capital slipped on their gowns and tuxedos for the swanky Inaugural Ball. Around 1,600 lawmakers, lobbyists and other political insiders mingled and drank complimentary cocktails in the dimly lit Donald L. Tucker Civic Center at Florida State University. Meanwhile, in the VIP area, an electric violinist twirled on a stage while carving away at his violin with an electric blue light-up bow. Earlier in the night, about 150 people lined up to take photos with Gov. Ron DeSantis and Casey, the First Lady. Just before 9 p.m., the first couple emerged onstage for their first dance, along with Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and their dates. Also invited onstage was Brian Ballard, the chair of the inauguration and Nick Iarossi, who led fundraising efforts, with their wives. Inaugural events are paid for by private donors. "We wanted to thank you all for your support and your friendship we're really excited for Florida and excited to work with the folks up here."

Florida Governor-elect Ron DeSantis will take the Oath of Office in Tallahassee. DeSantis defeated Andrew Gillum in the Florida Governor's race in November. His oath will be administered by Chief Justice Charles Canady. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour…

Democrat Janet Mills will be sworn in today as Maine’s 75th governor. The 71-year-old from a prominent Farmington family becomes Maine’s first female governor. Watch the swearing-in and her inaugural speech here. Of the more than a dozen attendees I spoke with before the ceremony started, Gov.-elect Mills’ inauguration is the first inauguration most have attended. Tribes have long had a difficult relationship with the state and the Penobscot Nation joined progressive groups in a letter critical of Mills during her primary campaign. @JanetMillsforME comes into her inaugural ceremony to cheers alongside Chief Justice Leigh Saufley of the state's high court and Adjutant General Douglas Farnham. #mepolitics Mills spokesman Scott Ogden said more than 3,000 people are at tonight’s inaugural ceremony, which is about the same size of the crowd that Gov. We just received this message via email about the widow of a former BDN employee: Jo McAlary is thrilled to be able to attend the inauguration of the first female governor Janet Mills. Troy Jackson of Allagash, a Democrat, will have the honor of leading the ceremony as Senate president. Janet Mills will give her inaugural address.

Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock New York federal prosecutors are looking into potential financial wrongdoing by President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee and Ivanka Trump’s involvement in price negotiations for space rental in the Trump International Hotel in D.C. According to reporting by WNYC and ProPublica, President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee paid large sums of money to the Trump organization to host events at the Trump-owned property, and the president’s daughter discussed charging $175,000 per day for the space, despite organizers’ concerns that it would look like the Trumps were lining their pockets. “These events are in PE’s [the president-elect’s] honor at his hotel and one of them is for family and close friends. Please take into consideration that when this is audited it will become public knowledge. I understand that compared to the original pricing this is great but we should look at the whole context. “The fact that the inaugural committee did business with the Trump Organization raises huge ethical questions about the potential for undue enrichment,” former IRS official Marcus Owens told WNYC and ProPublica. A spokesperson for Ivanka Trump’s ethics lawyer denied the first daughter’s involvement in the negotiations: “When contacted by someone working on the inauguration, Ms. Trump passed the inquiry on to a hotel official and said only that any resulting discussions should be at a ‘fair market rate.’ Ms. Trump was not involved in any additional discussions.” The Trump inaugural committee also drew attention because it raised more money than prior inaugurations by a large amount. Forty million dollars of that remains unaccounted for, thanks to lax reporting requirements for inaugural committee spending. Ivanka Trump is also under scrutiny for using her personal email account for government business. And the swamp continues to get swampier, thanks to the Trump family.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether President Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee misspent some of the $107M it raised from donations, according to new WSJ reporting. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth analysis…